Clamp for mounting a bracket at an offset from a wall, method for mounting a bracket on a wall and method for mounting a compressor on a wall

Abstract

A clamp comprises a lower section and an upper section. The lower section has a U-shaped cross-section forming a channel extending along a first axis. The channel has a flat bottom and two sides extending from the bottom along a second axis. Openings are formed in the bottom of the channel. The upper section has two elongate plates that extend from the two sides of the channel along the first axis. The elongate plates are offset along the second axis from the bottom of the channel. Apertures pierced along a third axis are distributed along the first axis on each of the elongate plates. Corresponding apertures pierced in the two elongate plates are coaxial with each other. Two clamps are anchored on a wall at their channels and two brackets are bolted to the clamps to support a compressor while providing clearance of the compressor from the wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A clamp, comprising:
 a lower section having a generally U-shaped cross-section forming a channel extending along a first axis, the channel having a generally flat bottom and two sides extending from the bottom along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, a plurality of openings being formed in the bottom of the channel; and 
 an upper section comprising two elongate plates extending from the two sides of the channel along the first axis, the two elongate plates being offset along the second axis from the bottom of the channel, a plurality of apertures pierced along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes being distributed along the first axis on each of the two elongate plates, the apertures formed in one of the two elongate plates being coaxial with corresponding apertures formed in the other one of the two elongate plates. 
 
     
     
       2. The clamp of  claim 1 , further comprising a bottom of the upper section extending along the first axis between the two elongate plates, the bottom of the upper section being offset along the second axis from the bottom of the channel. 
     
     
       3. The clamp of  claim 1 , wherein the clamp is formed of a precut and folded sheet of metal. 
     
     
       4. The clamp of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the channel is equal to a lateral distance between the two elongate plates. 
     
     
       5. The clamp of  claim 4 , wherein the width of the channel is in a range between 1.5 and 1.6 inches. 
     
     
       6. The clamp of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings formed in the bottom of the channel comprises two openings, at least one of the two openings being an obround opening. 
     
     
       7. The clamp of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures distributed along the first axis on each of the two elongate plates are circular apertures. 
     
     
       8. The clamp of  claim 7 , wherein the circular apertures are sized for receiving bolts having a diameter between 0.25 and 0.5 inch. 
     
     
       9. A method for mounting a compressor on a wall covered by a finishing material overhanging above a flat, solid, and vertical surface, comprising:
 mounting two clamps as defined in  claim 1  on the vertical surface so that the first axis of each channel is oriented vertically, a junction between the lower and upper sections of each clamp being proximate to a lower edge of the finishing material, the two clamps being at a substantially equal height on the vertical surface and at a lateral distance corresponding to a width of the compressor; 
 piercing a plurality of lateral apertures in vertical members of two brackets, a position of the lateral apertures being selected to match a pair of corresponding apertures on the elongate plates of the two clamps and being selected so that a horizontal member of each bracket extends away from the wall at a selected installed height of the compressor; and 
 attaching the two brackets to the two clamps by inserting a bolt through each of the lateral apertures of the vertical members of the two brackets and through each pair of corresponding apertures of the two clamps. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising selecting the two clamps so that the offset between the two elongate plates and the bottom of the channel of each clamp is sufficient to clear the two elongate plates from the finishing material. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the two clamps are selected among a plurality of clamps, the plurality of clamps including a plurality of sets of clamps, the clamps of each set having a specific offset between their elongate plates and the bottoms of their channels. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising selecting the two clamps so that a lateral distance between the two elongate plates matches an external width of the vertical members of the brackets. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the two clamps each comprise a bottom of the upper section extending along the first axis and connecting the two elongate plates, the bottom of the upper section being offset along the second axis from the bottom of the channel, the method further comprising positioning a rear face of the vertical member of each bracket against the bottom of the upper section of the corresponding clamp. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9 , wherein mounting the two clamps on the vertical surface comprises inserting anchors through at least two of the plurality of openings formed in the bottom of each channel and through bores provided in the vertical surface. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 placing the compressor on top of the horizontal members of the two brackets; and 
 attaching the compressor to the horizontal members of the two brackets using screws. 
 
     
     
       16. A method for mounting a bracket on a wall covered by a finishing material overhanging above a flat, solid, and vertical surface, comprising:
 mounting a clamp as defined in  claim 1  on the vertical surface so that the first axis of the channel is oriented vertically, a junction between the lower and upper sections of the clamp being proximate to a lower edge of the finishing material; 
 piercing a plurality of lateral apertures in a vertical member of the bracket, a position of the lateral apertures being selected to match a pair of corresponding apertures on the elongate plates of the clamp and being selected so that a horizontal member of the bracket is at a selected height and at a selected orientation in front of the wall; and 
 attaching the bracket to the clamp by inserting a bolt through each of the lateral apertures of the vertical member of the bracket and through each pair of corresponding apertures of the clamp.